AP Euro Seminar

1
AP Euro Seminar

• Derek Rack
• Per.4
• 1/18/12

2
Prompt

• Compare and contrast how TWO of the following
  states attempted to hold together their empires
  in the period circa 1850 to 1914.
• Austria-Hungary, Russia, Ottoman Empire

3
Russia

• In the 1850s, Russia was a poor agrarian society
  with a rapidly growing population.
• Industry was little developed, and almost 90
  percent of the population lived off the land.
• The open field system was still in effect and
  serfdom remained the basic social institution.
• The Crimean War of 1853-1856 devastated Russian
  military forces, which forced them to change
  their ways.

4
Russian Reforms

• The first and most significant of the reforms was
  the freeing of the serfs in 1861.
• Although the peasants were liberated, they had to
  pay high prices for their land and could be
  considered worse off than opposed to serfdom.
• -So, the freeing of the serfs was
  ultimately limited.
• Many later reforms were also limited such as the
  new institution of local government called the
  zemstvo.
• However, there was some success in reforms
  regarding the legal system, which established
  independent courts and equality before the law.

5
Industrialization of Russia

• Until the twentieth century, Russias greatest
  steps towards modernization were economic rather
  than political.
• Industry and transportation were transformed in
  two surges
• 1. The first came after 1860. The government
  encouraged private railway companies, and
  construction rapidly increased. The railroads
  enabled agricultural Russia to export grain and
  therefore earn money for further
  industrialization.
• 2. Industrial development strengthened Russias
  military and allowed for territorial expansion to
  the south and east. It also contributed greatly
  to the spread of Marxian ideology and the
  transformation of the Russian revolutionary
  movement after 1890.

6
Russian Revolution of 1905

• Started by pointing out the incompetence of the
  Russian government.
• On a Sunday in January 1905, a massive crowd of
  workers emerged peacefully on the Winter Palace
  in St. Petersburg to present a petition to the
  tsar. Little did they know, tsar Nicholas II had
  fled the city and soldiers began to open fire on
  to the masses, killing and wounding hundreds.
• The Bloody Sunday massacre had turned common
  workers against the tsar and created a wave of
  uncertainty and disappointment.

7
Austria-Hungary

• Throughout the 1850s, Hungary was ruled as a
  conquered territory. All the while, Emperor
  Francis Joseph and his bureaucracy were trying
  hard to centralize the state and Germanize the
  language and culture of the separate
  nationalities.
• As defeat by Prussia became inevitable in 1866, a
  weakened Austria was forced to compromise and
  establish a dual-monarchy.
• The empire was divided into two states, only
  joined by a shared monarch and common ministries
  for finance, defense, and foreign affairs.

8
Austria-Hungary (cont.)

• Hungary was subjected to the rule of military
  officers, and the Catholic church was declared
  the state church and granted control of
  education.
• However, economic tensions and war soon brought
  change. Emperor Francis Joseph attempted to
  establish an imperial parliament with a nominated
  upper house and an elected lower house of
  representatives.
• Although the system was supposed to provide
  representation for the nationalities of the
  empire, the complex process used for elections
  ensured the election of a German-speaking
  majority, resulting in alienation of ethnic
  minorities.

9
Comparisons

• Both countries had failing governments.
• However, each country took steps towards the
  betterment of their nation.
• Both of their militaries were weak and needed
  superior forces.
• Both attempted at holding their empires together,
  but ultimately failed in most instances.

10
Differences

• Russia
• Sought for modernization
• Reforms were more economic than political
• One unified nation

• Austria-Hungary
• Sought for unification
• Reforms were more political than economic
• Many separate states